


the space between us.

by eoghainy



Category: Shall We Date?: Destiny Ninja
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 04:34:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16654333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eoghainy/pseuds/eoghainy





	the space between us.

“Hyuga!” Ming cried, blinking the mixture of tears and rain out of her eyes. It had taken her too long to be able to find him, dawn was swiftly approaching. “I won’t let Yoshitsune execute you at dawn. I _won’t_.” Her thin, delicate fingers wrapped around the iron bars, yanking on them fruitlessly. She didn’t care that Hyuga had betrayed the wondrous, kind Yoshitsune; she didn’t care! She loved Hyuga with all of her heart, and she, too, would betray Yoshitsune to ensure his survival.

“It’s no use,” Hyuga looked at her with dull silver eyes. His voice was no more than a mere rasp. “Yoshitsune has made up his mind, and we have to go along with it. I made the mistake, and now I must pay for it. You have to understand that, Ming.”

“I can’t!” The words rip from her throat fiercely. “I _won’t_!” Her bottom lip trembled, revealing the depth of her distress. Once more she yanked upon the bars, the buildup of rust biting into her soft palms. “I can’t let you die, not after everything you’ve done for me.”

Hyuga’s callused and familiar hands wrapped around hers, providing her with a reassuring pressure. “It’s _okay_. I’ve accepted my fate.” For once, his words weren’t barbed. They didn’t have a bite. Instead, they were tender. Soft. He had given up.

“What about _me_?” Boldly, Ming spat the question out, watching as Hyuga’s eyes rounded in surprise. “Do you think that I want you to die?”

“You’ll be better off without me.” 

“You don’t know that!” She couldn’t stop her voice from rising. “I _love you_! Damnit, this isn’t right. It’s not right.” Her hands were shaking. “Hyuga, please, help me fight for you.”

Hyuga shook his head. “No, Ming. You’re a lady, and you must carry on your family’s legacy. This is the right thing to do. I must atone for my crimes.”

“If you die,” Ming said quietly, “then I will die with you. I will not leave you here to die alone.” Once more she yanked upon the bars, throwing her body into it, trying her hardest to pull them open.

“You can’t!” Life sparked into his eyes. “You _must_ live, Ming. I won’t let you.”

“And I won’t let you die alone, so it seems as if we’re at an impasse.” Ming tucked her soaking wet hair out of the way, unable to fight back a shiver. “Yoshitsune will have to execute me along with you. I won’t accept anything else.”

“Stubborn dame!” Hyuga spat at her. He didn’t care about his own life, but he cared about hers. He wanted so badly for her to live, but Ming would not live without him. She had made her choice long ago.

“You can’t talk me out of it. You have become my life since I fell in love with you, Hyuga. If you die, I will die with you, and then we can be reborn together into another life where the odds are not against us.” She reached her slender hand through the bars, touching her damp palm against his cheek. He brought up his own hand to wrap around hers, silver eyes gleaming with tenderness.

“I can see that you’re not going to change your mind.” He whispered. “In the next life, then. You and I, and maybe the circumstances will be more in our favor.”


End file.
